Jumpin' Jack's Blog

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JJ: A Trip Down Memory Lane

by Jumpin' Jack,posted Jun 19 2014 5:51PM

“Time and tide wait for no man.”- Geoffrey Chaucer

I don’t know what it is, but 2014 has been a constant reminder of that for me. My daughter turned 16. My son finished his first year at Stewart County High School. I took another step towards turning 40. And it’s only June for crying out loud!

I’m a guy that looks to the past a lot anyway. I wouldn’t say that I’m living in the past, but I do a lot of reflecting. I’m also fascinated with that Timehop app.

“See your photos and updates from this exact day in history. Timehop helps you celebrate the best moments of the past with your friends!”

That’s what the little blurb says on the Timehop website. I downloaded this thing a few days ago and it’s been full of neat little trips down memory lane. There was a note that my son left me for Father’s Day, getting ready for a big concert, pictures with my best friends. One major life event has been sticking out the last 2 days, which has had me really thinking again about that time waits for no man quote.

It was 5 years ago this month that I packed everything that I owned into a small trailer and said goodbye to the bright lights of Cleveland, Ohio and began my journey to western Kentucky to chase my dream of being on the radio. It’s hard to believe it’s been that long already.

Back in 2007, when I turned 30, I went through a bit of a personal crisis. I woke up one day and realized that I hadn’t really accomplished anything in my life. I felt like I was just throwing the days, months, and years away.

“And no one said it was gonna be easy/And I’m not afraid to try/And with the odds stacked up against me, I will have to fight/One life, one chance, gotta do it right!”-H2O

My first internship had me do everything from promotions to on-air stuff!

Feeling inspired, I decided to follow my heart and go after something that I knew would make me happy. I enrolled in broadcasting school and completely buried myself in it. I had more than my share of obstacles and setbacks to deal with. My mom passed away about halfway through. I went through a pretty ugly breakup with a girl that left me broke and homeless. If it wasn’t for the incredible support I got from my best friends, who I consider my brothers and sisters, I never would’ve made it.

I have hair!!

6 months after graduation, in June of 2009, I left northeast Ohio to start my career. It was equal parts exciting and terrifying. I was moving 500+ miles away from home with everything I owned and just a little bit of money in my pocket. I never planned to stay here more than 2 years before moving on to the next city, the next state, the next step in my career.

Here I sit 5 years later, still a radio guy in western Kentucky, and I couldn’t be happier with where my life is. My son moved here with me a year ago. I’m with a great girl, living in a pretty cool small town (Dover!), working his dream job with some pretty amazing and talented people. It’s hard to believe that the time has passed so fast. I sometimes wonder where I’d be had I not taken that risk of starting over all those years ago. Either way, it’s a pretty good place to be.

“Our life is made up of time. Our days are measured in hours, our pay measured by those hours, our knowledge is measured by years. [...] And yet time eventually runs out and you wonder in your heart of hearts if those seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years and decades were being spent the best way they possibly could.” ― Cecelia Ahern

Time is ticking, my friends. Take that chance you’ve been waiting to take. Don’t let time take it away from you.